Old Friends
by Charlott-Marie
Summary: An old childhood friend of CJ's spends a week with the Hennessys. Chapter 3 changed a little. Completed.
1. Default Chapter

**Disclaimer**: These characters are not mine, well, except for Charlie - Charlie's my creation. Except for that, none of it is mine.

"Kerry. Are you all right?" Kate asked her youngest daughter. Kate didn't hear anything except for a big groan coming from the other room.

_"_Mom, _Bridget replied_, I don't think she's coming down. I mean, did you hear that great big groan."

"Yes Bridget, I heard. Kerry, are you feeling all right?" She repeated. Kate entered the bedroom to find Kerry sitting on the floor, holding her stomach. "Kerry, what's wrong?"

Kerry looked up at her mom and opened her mouth, only to close it and run off to the bathroom putting a hand over her mouth.

Kate could not believe that Kerry was sick. She was trying to think of what could have made her feel... icky. Was it supper? Couldn't have been. Everyone else is fine. "Could it be the flu?" She thought out loud.

"I don't know. Maybe." Bridget answered. "Anyways, I gotta go be prez. See ya." And with that, Bridget left her mother in the room.

Kate looked around the empty room. "See ya??? Don't I get hugs anymore?"

"Oh, come here Kate. I'll give you a hug." Answered CJ as he entered the room.

"Oh. Hi CJ. I don't know what's wrong. My girls are growing up so fast." Kate looked on with despair. She went over to Bridget's bed and picked up a teddy bear.

"Yeah, I know, _CJ said_, Rory's growing up too." Kate looked up at CJ. He took a big sigh and got choked up saying "He becoming a big boy." Kate grew comfort knowing that Rory wasn't a "big boy" yet, and he was still going to be there a while.

"Come on CJ. Lets go downstairs and wipe those tears."

"Oh... sniff... okay... sniff... choke."

As soon as they got half way down the stairs, Jim yelped in pain. Kate ran down the rest of the way yelling. "Oh my God! Dad are you okay? What happened?"

Her dad turned around with his fingers in his mouth. "It's okay Kate. It's just the toast is to darn hot."

"Gramps, the toast came out of the toaster. Did you think it would be cold?" replied CJ.

"Watch it little man. I'm still young enough to put you across my... CJ? Is that a tear?" inquired Grandpa.

"Umm... no." And CJ started to walk away wiping off the tear, just when Rory came up from the basement. "Oh Rory." CJ went right up to Rory and gave him a great big, long hug. "I'm going to miss these days." With a great sigh, CJ let go of Rory and walked away, leaving Rory embarrassed and scared.

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Kate was about to leave the house for work, when she asked her dad where everyone was. "Well, Kerry's still upstairs blowing chunks. Bridget is at a meeting at school. And Rory and CJ went to the mall." "Okay." She opened the door, but as she was about to walk out, she turned around and went to her father and gave him a hug. "Thanks Dad." He knew exactly what she meant as she left for work.

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Jim got up to get the mail. When he came back, he noticed there was a letter for CJ. "Who would write to CJ." Jim thought out loud. "_Well_, Jim thought to himself, _CJ isn't here. I could take a little sneak. Wouldn't hurt anyone._" Curiosity got the best of him.

He tore the envelop and opened the letter. Jim read the letter out loud. "_Hey CJ. What's up?_ (ever heard of proper English) _Haven't spoken to you in a while. Heard you moved in with the Hennessys? How are they? Heard that the grandfather's over there too. Hope he's not the "Well, back in my day" kind of guy. _(Jim grumbles and rolls his eyes) _It sucks that you don't write to us. Forgotten how? _(Man, this guy's boring - ever heard of e-mail)"

He got bored so he skipped a few lines.

"_Anyways, I'm going to be in town for a few days, probably a week. Stupid conference._ (This guy works???) _Wondering if you could hook me up with a room or something. Like to hang with you again. The gang miss you back home. Anyway, I'll be there Dec 15th. Hope to see you. Charlie_."

What a load of bologna. This Charlie guy has got to be kidding. Wait Dec 15th. That's tomorrow. Jim started to get panicked. This guy is actually going to come over and "hang out" for a week. I don't want another CJ in the house.

"Hey Grandpa."

"Oh, hey Rory." Jim replied as Rory and CJ got their coats off. "How was your trip to the mall?"

"It was great. I met this girl..."

"Uh-huh. That's nice. CJ!"

"Yeah Pops." he answered as he was untying his shoes.

"You got a letter."

"Whoa! Wait a sec. Does it have any sort of government stamp on it?"

"No... but I do think Kate should see it first." This statement got CJ curious. Why should Kate see it first? Why can't he read his own letter?

"What should I see first?" Kate was home and she walked over to her father and grabbed the letter he handed out to her. "Dad, I think it's okay for him to read it." "Yeah, but read the last paragraph." So Kate read it. She had to read it over again three times. "CJ, it says here that Charlie is coming over to stay with us for a week."

"Are you serious? Oh my God, this is so cool. I haven't seen Charlie since high school."

"No, CJ, it's not great. The letter says that Charlie is coming tomorrow. I don't have enough room in the house for someone else."

"Oh, no wait. It's okay. It's cool. See, Charlie could sleep on the couch. I mean... if it's okay with you Kate."

"Well..."

"What?" retorted Jim. "You're actually thinking about this."

"Well, yeah Dad." Jim leaned in closer to his daughter and whispered. "Charlie is CJ'S FRIEND. Charlie could be another CJ."

"Hey, I heard that. Look Kate. Okay. I'll bring Charlie by here tomorrow and then you can decide if Charlie stays here for a week or goes to a motel. Okay? Pweez? Pwetty pweez."

"Fine. We'll see."


	2. Chapter 2 Welcome Home Charlie Brown?

**Disclaimer**: Wish they were mine. But alas, they are not.

Oh my goodness. So happy. Got my first review. Thank you very much. It feels good.

Have a bunch of homework coming soon, so I won't be able to write more until December after exams.

Chapter 2 - Welcome home Charlie... Brown?!?

"Kate. What are you doing?" Jim asked his daughter. Kate was busy cleaning up the house for their new guest. "Kate. Stop it. You might not even like the guy. "

"Dad. You never know. I might like this Charlie guy. You might too." Jim looked at his daughter with discust. "Me, like one of CJ's friends. Yeah... right!"

Kerry came downstairs with a very bad cough. Her mother looked at her with fierce eyes and she knew she had to march back upstairs to her room - or the washroom depending on her how her stomach was feeling.

Bridget ran downstairs and nearly knocked Kerry to the floor. Without any care for her sister, Bridget just flew out the door - not literally of course. Now, Kerry knew exactly which room to head for. Kate understood that Bridget was president, but... she's taking it too far. Everyday this week she's been wearing clothes with the American flag on them.

"Poor Kerry." Rory said as he walked down the stairs. Everyone in the house could hear Kerry praying to the porcelain goddess. Gross. Jim could hardly stand the noise, he had to leave the room. "Can I have her room when she dies?"

"Rory! That's very rude. She's not going to die. And if she does, you can have her room if you don't mind having Bridget in there too."

Rory had completely forgotten about Bridgette. Shivers ran down his spine. Rooming with Bridget. _Shiver_. Rory picked up his backpack and headed out the door.

"Dad!" Kate yelled out. "Where's CJ's? He's supposed to meet his friend at the airport."

"He already left Kate. He left around 7:30 this morning." Kate could not believe her ears. CJ's gone? Already? "When's the flight coming in anyway?" Jim asked. "Umm... 4:30." Jim and Kate were staring at each other. They can't believe that CJ already left - early.

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Kate got off work early just so she can come home and decide for herself if Charlie is worth putting up with or not. He is a friend of CJ's. But... it's CJ! Charlie could be a nice guy. On the other hand, he could be a CJ. But CJ's not all that bad. He's bad. But not all. She didn't know what to do. After many minutes thinking it out, she decided that when she got home, she would find out for herself if Charlie is okay or not and whether he should stay or not.

Kate parked in the driveway. _Oh my God_, Kate thought to herself, _what if I don't like him and I say no. CJ might be mad. But if I say yes, then Dad'll be mad... Argh!_ She was so confused. She grabbed her purse and walked through the back door to find her Dad, Rory, Bridget and a sick Kerry sitting on a couch looking back at Kate.

"What?" Kate was wondering why everyone had a funny look on their faces. "Dad? You guys all right?"

"Umm. Yeah, hon. CJ and Charlie are upstairs. He's showing her around."

"What do you mean upstairs? I haven't aproved of Charlie yet. He can't stay here until I say.... what?!?" Kate's eyes grew big. She was even more confused than before. "He's showing _her _around?" All Jim could do was nod his head. And the others followed. Kate could hear CJ talking in the distance. With a girl. Charlie she guessed.

"Hey Kate!" Yelled out CJ as they walked down the stairs. "I'd like you to meet Charlie." Kate could not believe her eyes. She just stared at Charlie with her mouth wide open. Charlie had long brown hair. A little lower than her shoulders. The two last inches of her hair was dyed red. She had dark almond shaped eyes. She was wearing knee length khakis and an army green shirt. Not boyish at all.

"Charlie, this is Kate." He turned to Charlie and said: "She looks better when she's not trying to catch flies with her mouth." CJ gave Kate a long stare. "Well, it's very nice meeting you Mrs. Hennessy. Will I be getting my things in?" Kate hadn't realised that Charlie was waiting for her answer on whether or not she can stay. When she did, all she could do was shake her had up and down. "Great!" CJ cried out. "Get you things and I'll be right outside to help." "Okay. Thank you very much Mrs. Hennessy." She walked toward the door. Everyone in the room followed her with their eyes.

CJ suddenly realised that no one had said anything. "Guys, you know that it's rude not to talk to a guest." Kate finally got her head out of the clouds. "What? Oh, sorry CJ... it's just..." "We were expecting a guy. I mean with a name like Charlie... we thought it - he - she would be a guy." Jim told CJ what everyone was thinking.

"Are you guys serious?" CJ looked around to see everyone shaking their heads. "Well, just to let you know, Charlie is short for Charlotte. I'm gonna go help Charlie bring in her bags." CJ started to run off to the front door, but just before he shut the door he yelled out "Hey Charlie, guess what? They all thought you were a guy." Bursts of laughter filled the Hennessy living room before CJ could shut the door.


	3. Chapter 3 Charlie's an Angel?

****

Quick note

: Exams are over - thank in their right mind gives an exam on a Saturday? Anyway, only bought things for my sister this christmas. Gotta catch up on my shopping. Anyway, back to the story I guess.****

Chapter 3

It's been a couple of days now, and nothing went wrong. But Jim knew something was going to go wrong. He just knew it. CJ hadn't had a good night sleep since Kate made him sleep on the couch the night Charlie showed up. Rory hadn't thought about anyone else since he saw Charlie. She wasn't the popular pretty girl at school. She was pretty, in a boyish sort of way. I guess you would call her a tom boy. She certainly caught Rory's eye.

CJ and Charlie spent all of their time together, catching up and remebering all the good times. Well, whenever Charlie wasn't at the conference of course. She was at a psych conference. She wasn't a shrink, but she's earning her degree in it though. She was there on a class trip.

Kerry still wasnt feeling good enough to go to school on the last day before Christmas vacation. But Bridget had gotten permission from Kate to go on the school trip to Mexico for the holidays, much to her dismay. Her permission slip was accepted and she left for the airport right after school ended.

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(A day went by - so that would make it the 18th)

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"Kate?" Charlie came down from upstairs.

"Yes Charlie? What's up?" Kate replied.

"Well, I was wondering..." Charlie stopped. She thought about what she was going to say very carefully. "May I come with you?"

"I'm going Christmas shopping?!? You... want... to come???" Kate was really puzzled. No one ever wanted to go shopping with her.

"Yeah, I need to get some stuff." Charlie answered. "Oh, and presents."

"Umm, sure. Why not?" So, off they went, Kate and Charlie to the shopping mall.

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"You know what's weird?" Kate blurted out. Rory and CJ turned to face her from the tv screen. "What mom?" Rory questioned.

"Charlie - she actually went shopping with me yesterday. I don't understand. We decided it would be best if we split up and got what we needed. I did all my shopping, and I was walking back to where we were supposed to meet, and there she was. Just sitting there holding a bag. So I didn't think anything of it. Until we went to go to the car, and I turned around..." Everyone (Rory and CJ) was staring at her intently.

"I turned around to see her holding something like ten big shopping bags."

"Sooooo..."

"So. I'm hoping she didn't buy us anything because I didn't buy her anything."

"For as long as I've known Charlie, she never got gifts. Well, I never gave her any."

"Yeah, but CJ, your cheap."

"So! What's your point?"

"Look, if she's giving us gifts, we should give her gifts. She's giving us gifts because she's expecting something."

"But Kate, what if she's not?" Kate brought her eyes up to CJ's. Her eyes gave a confused look. "What if she got presents for her family back home. And not us. Then if we get her presents, and she didn't get us anything, then, that will embarass her that she didn't us anything. And, if I know her pretty well, she'll get very panicked and stressed. And we don't want that."

"No, I guess not." And the discussion was ended when Charlie came back down.

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yeah about the "a day went by" thing , I got lasy and tired - such a wuss. Anyway. Working on the next chap tomorrow


	4. Chapter 4 Her Last Day

Disclaimer - again, I own none of it.

School's going well. Long days, lots of homework. Anyways, back to the story. Don't worry, it's not the last chapter.

Chapter 4 - Her last day

It was December 21st. The last day that Charlie was spending with the Hennessy's. She was going to leave the next day. Her flight was at eight in the evening. Rory was going to spend the morning with her at the conference. Why not? Wouldn't hurt.

Kate was home alone. Well, not really alone. CJ was in the basement. Sleeping she guessed. Little did she know that he had been soundproofing the basement for the past three weeks. And now that he's done, he's free to play his music as loud as he wanted to.

Jim walked through the door. All he had in his hands were a packet of peanuts from the plane and a tie.

"Dad? You're home?" Kate asked.

"Of course I am honey. I wouldn't miss Christmas with my daughter. Never." Kate knew he was lying. And Jim knew that. "Fine... stop giving me the third degree."

"So... dad... what did mom make go down there for?" She inquired.

"A stupid tie. No not really. She made me go all the way over there for the tie and to show off her new beau. A pool boy of all things." Jim was getting angry.

Kate was getting confused. "But Dad... "

"I know, she doesn't even have a pool!" Jim, obviously pissed, stormed off to the basement stairs.

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CJ had put in a CD into his new CD player. And he turned the volume up. He ran and turned the corner.

Jim was walking down the stairs when CJ slid into view while the song "I Like That Old Time Rock and Roll" played, wearing only his boxers. Jim just stopped in the middle of the stairway watching CJ do his rendition of Tom Cruise's famous dance. When CJ finally turned around, he noticed he had an audience and ran for the CD player to turn it off.

"Fabulous!" Cried out Jim. And he applauded very loudly. "Encore! Encore!"

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Upstairs, Kate was finally joined by Charlie and Rory. Rory was telling his mom all about the days event. He was very taken in by the whole psychology stuff. He just kept babbling on and on. Kate and Charlie had been able to have a whole discussion, about her leaving the next day, while Rory kept talking. He didn't seem to mind.

Some how, Rory had gotten Kate to agree on something. "Wait, Rory?" Kate looked at Charlie. "What did I agree on?" Charlie just shrugged her shoulders and took out a magazine from her backpack.

She didn't know what to do. Kate had already had lunch, and she didn't feel like making any for the others.

"Kate?" Charlie pipped up, not looking away from her reading.

"Yes Charlie? What's up?" Kate knew that look. CJ's friend had a problem.

"May I confide in you?" She asked as she put down her magazine. Charlie was staring at it with intense consentration. _This must be serious_, thought Kate. She looked over at Charlie.

"Sure, of course you can."

* * *

I had started this yesterday. I got really tired. Well, won't tell you what happens until the next chap. 


	5. Chapter 5 A Remembrance

Disclaimer - and again I own none of it.

I'm back. Finished exams and now, I can relax, so... here we go.

**Chapter 5**

CJ was waiting for Charlie while she check her bags. Rory was busy playing with a caged puppy.

"Wow. I can't believe you're leaving so soon." CJ was very surprised to see his old friend was already to leave.

"Yeah." Charlie commented. She had her backpack on her back and a bag in her hand. She was wearing a light blue tucque and mittens to match the dark blue winter coat. "You know I forgot that it gets cold here. Kate lent me her coat."

"Yeah... those are Bridget's, but whatever."

"I guess I should give them back." Charlie took off the coat and mittens.

"Probably, you can keep the hat."

"I was planning on it." Charlie retorted. They laughed.

"Want to sit?"

"Actually... sure, why not." They walked around until they found a table they liked in the food court. "I noticed you're not partying with the teachers."

"Yeah... but it's cool you know. I'd rather be responsible. I mean I am a teacher now." CJ was trying to hide the fact that he would have wanted to go. Charlie understood.

"I know what'll make you feel better." She bent down to grab something out of her bag. "Here." She pulled it up. It was a wrapped gift. She handed it to CJ.

"Oh my God! You got me something... what is it?" CJ waited for her answer. "Oh right. I can open it." He just tore the wrapping off. "Oh my God."

Charlie couldn't be happier. "You left it at my house. I thought you might want it back."

CJ couldn't believe his eyes. "It was my favourite. I can't believe it. You brought it all the way back."

* * *

CJ and Rory walked through the door.

"Hey guys..." Kate exclaimed. But just as she did, Rory ran upstairs sobbing. Guess he really liked her.

"Hey Kate." CJ didn't seem too happy either. He was still clutching the present Charlie had given him.

"What's that?" Kate asked, knowing fully well what it was.

"It's a present. Charlie brought it back to me." CJ was running his hands over it. His fingers encircled the faded letters G-U-E-S-S W-H-O-? . "We used to always play it when we were together. We never got tired of it." CJ looked even sadder the more he rememebered.

"Well, do you want to play it, _Kate asked_, for old time sake?"

"No. I promised her a long time ago. This is our game. Sorry."With that he walked away, clutching the "Guess who?" game close to his chest.

* * *

In the basement, CJ sat down on his bed and placed the game next to him. He didn't even notice that Grampa was there.

"Whatcha' got there CJ?"

"Not now Gramps. I'm not in the mood."

Jim knew how serious this was. So, he left CJ in peace and went upstairs.

It was just CJ and his game. He looked over. He took the top off. Inside was a letter.

_Dear CJ, _


	6. Chapter 6 Good CJ Barnes

Disclaimer - again... none of it is mine.

**Chapter 6**

"Kate..." Jim asked his daughter. "What's wrong with CJ?"

"Nothing." Kate replied. He knew that Kate was hiding a secret.

"Kate..." Jim started.

"No Dad. I'm not telling you anything." Kate looked at her father. She knew that he knew that she knew something. But she wasn't going to tell. Her father looked at her with hungry eyes. He wanted to know. There was a secret, and he had to know what it was. "No Dad. I promised Charlie that I wouldn't." Kate said.

"So... this has to do with Charlie..." Jim suggested.

"Umm... no... it doesn't." Kate replied, unsure of how her father would react.

"Now Katie... tell daddy what the..." Before he could finish his sentence, Kate pipped up.

"She didn't come here just for the conference." Kate took a deep breath. "She wanted to come see CJ to tell him that she likes him, and that she liked him for a really long time, but she couldn't tell him before because they were friends and she didn't want to ruin that, because relationships don't last as long as friendships, and she wanted to know if he liked her too, and if there could be a chance for something more than just friendship then she would work really hard at making it work out even though they don't live in the same city anymore, and she just wanted to tell him that she liked him before she left because she wasn't sure when she would see him again and that this might be the last chance that she had to tell him the truth about how she really felt about him."

Kate had to sit down on the couch and take deep breaths. She hadn't realized that she forgot to take a breath.

"Oh my God!" Cried out Jim. He blinked his eyes wildly.

"I know..." panted Kate. "Can you believe that she liked him all these years and didn't tell him until now?"

"No. I can't believe that I just understood everything you had just said." Jim had to sit down in his chair. "Every word."

"The secret had been burning a hole inside me, I just had to tell someone." said Kate.

Little did they know that someone was overhearing their conversation. At the top of the stairs stood a young man who's heart had just broken.

Suddenly, they heard heavy footsteps running up the stairs.

"CJ, do you have to be so noisy?" Jim yelled.

"Sorry Gramps." CJ called out. He ran towards the door grabbing his jacket.

"CJ! Where are you going?" Called out Kate.

"In the emortal words of Robin Williams 'Sorry guys, I gotta see about a girl'." Had with that, CJ left, and slammed the door.

Kate and Jim looked at each other, then the door opened. "You know, when Robin's character from 'Good Will Hunting' didn't rush the field when Pudge Fisk hit a homerun because he was drinking with a girl!"

"Yeah we know, _Jim interupted_, go!"

And CJ was off.

* * *

Note: spoiler The someone overhearing the conversation was Rory. I love that line "Gotta see about a girl!" I love it. Anyway... 


	7. Chapter 7 Alright

Sorry, it's been a while. It's sad that I never finish anything. Procrastinator I guess. Here we go! The end.

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Chapter 7

CJ couldn't remember getting in the car and driving off to stop Charlie's flight. All he could think was the letter. He wasn't sure if his affections would be reciprocated. Now he knew. She loved him. He loved her. They had to make it work. How was he going to stop her? Pull a Jim Carrey in "Liar, Liar"? Pull off what the little boy did in "Love Actually"? He'll buy a ticket if he had to. He just had to stop her, to hold her and kiss her. To tell her that he too loved her.

He arrived at the airport. He parked the car in the taxi zone. He could care less. He had to stop her. He ran inside to find the departure screen. He couldn't find it, so he kept running to the departure gates. He ran passed eerone in the line-up. He was almost there. Almost there.

"Hey!" was all he heard when he spun around on his toes. A huge security guard was staring him down. He reminded CJ of Dog, the bounty hunter. The guard had grabbed a hold of CJ's arm. "Oh, crud!"

-------

After a long hour with two security officers asking him where he was going? Why was he so nervous and shaky? Why was he out of breath?

"I'm trying to stop a girl? Did her plane leave? I have to stop her plane please!" He gave up. Her plane was long gone. He gave up. _What am I going to do?_ CJ couldn't bear it. He had to be with her.

As soon as they agreed to free him, he walked rapidly to get a plane ticket._ I have to find her_!

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"MOM! MOM!"

_Oh my God, Kerry, she needs me_. Kate ran up the stairs only to find herself smiling all the while. _She needs me_.

"MOM!"

"What? Kerry? What's wrong?" Kate couldn't believe what she was seeing. Rory came in just in time to see Kerry drop a stick with a small blue '+'.

As the stick fell, all of Kerry's hopes and dreams were drifting away. Her whole life just passed in front of her eyes. Her first words to Brigit. Welcoming Rory to the family. Her first day at school. High school. Then her father's picture came to mind. He would be so angry with her. But then he would rush right to her side and hold her. He'd hug her tightly as the tears would fall from her eyes. All she could think of was her father. His warm embrace. His laugh. She'd almost forgotten his laugh. She hadn't thought about him for such a long time.

Tears ran down her face. She knew she would be alright. Her dad would always be there, with her. She looked up to find that her mom was right next to her, holding her. Their eyes met. They both knew it would be alright.

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After the little Kerry pregnant fiasco, Rory walked back to his room. His thoughts drifted to his dad. _How would Dad handle this_? He could hear his father tell him "Be supportive". Be supportive about Kerry and CJ. Let CJ be happy for once. Help Kerry out with the little tyke. Be there for both of them. A smile grew on his face. Everything will be alright.

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CJ had forgotten money and had no credit card. He knew he would never catch up with her. He 's lost her forever. He stayed in the airport gazing. Just gazing. He watched as all the happy people walked by him. Many welcoming family members home. Wives, husbands, children... His gaze, empty. His heart sunk with every smile he saw.

Taking a breath, he got up from his seat and started towards his car. He overheard planes flying off above him. All he could think about was her. _I love her and I screwed it up_.

"You took forever!" A woman yelled at him. CJ walked against the wall in order to let the woman pass him and to reach her husband.

"Hey! You!" CJ looked up only to find a girl sitting on her suitcase next to his car. The streetlight in his eyes, he called out to her "Lady, that's not your car! Get away from..."

She stood up.

"CJ! Did you miss your plane?" Charlie joked.

Words escaped him. He rushed to her, he grabbed her waist and planted a passionate kiss. She reciprocated. They held each other and everything would be alright. They would spend the rest of their days together. Happy and with as much passion as that first kiss.

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Jim had fallen asleep. His usual nap time. _He was running in the fields near his childhood house. Running with his dog. A young and carefree Jim. He knew it was a dream. There is no way he could run that fast in his physical state. He was running, reliving his carefree days. He slowed down a bit. Ahead in the distance he saw three people looking at him. Smiles on their faces. They started coming closer and closer to him. But they weren't walking. They we gliding._

_"Run!" He told his dog. He started going back when he noticed the dog running towards the gliding people. "No!" He yelled out. Come back._

Asleep in his bed Jim was sweating.

_The dog just disappeared. the dog ran past the people and vanished. He started running, but nothing. He never had this nightmare before. He had to wake up. "Wake up!" Nothing, he didn't have the guts to pinch himself because he knew it would hurt. He looked back to the gliders. They had vanished as well. He was in a panic. Just then..._

_His surroundings were different. He was still in the fields, but something felt familiar. Warmth. Raising his head to the sun, he closed his eyes, feeling the warmth on his eye lids. He was different too. He was back to his old 70-something body, but he felt 18. He breathed in the sweet smell of the fields. "I shouldn't have run". Jim said as he turned._

_There were the three gliders. The only female looked concerned. She walked towards her son. She raised her hand to his face to wipe a tear from his cheek. "My son. Do not cry. You'll make me start," she laughed. She turned to her husband who was standing next to where she had stood. "He's ready." Jim's father didn't walk to him. He ran to his son. "I'm sorry Jim. I'm sorry I didn't get to say goodbye to you before I died. I loved you so much." Jim had never seen his father cry. Tears of joy to be reunited with his son._

_Jim's father released his arms around his grown son. Jim smiled at his father. Had he only known how proud his father was of him, then. Back when he was growing up into a man. Jim's gaze fell upon the third man. The sun was too bright to make him out. Reading Jim's mind, the third walked forward._

_"Paul." Jim was silent. _

_"Jim," Paul replied. Jim's son-in-law. No words could escape him. They just stared at each other. Knowing how they felt about each other, at the same moment, they hugged. They hugged each other as the words they could never express to each other._

_As they hugged, a flash of light filled the fields. The light grew stronger and stronger til all was white. The light vanished and all there was were the fields. They were clear and blowing in the soft breeze._

Laying down in his bed, Jim was still. Breathless. Nothing but a smile and a tear rolling down his cheek. Peace.

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End file.
